


100 Ways To Say I Love You

by LWF



Category: Buzzfeed The Try Guys (Web Series)
Genre: Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, everybody showing eugene he is loved and appreciated despite what he might think, more tags to follow as i fill prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-04 08:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17894597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LWF/pseuds/LWF
Summary: The Try Guys show Eugene how much they care about him in the small every day things that they say and do.aka: 100 ways to say i love you prompt on tumblr





	1. “Pull over. Let me drive for a while.”

Everyone’s asleep.

Ned and Zach are in the backseat, nestled close, practically drooling atop the other's head, knocked out from their way too long day of vlogging in nature.

As much as Eugene is probably the most fit out of the Try Guys, he’s pretty sure at this moment he’d be happy never to see another tree or rock or river again.

Absolutely everything hurts. _Blinking_ hurts.

It probably doesn’t help that he carried Zach for a pretty big chunk of the day after the smaller man got stung by a bee right on his ankle.

And now they’ve got a six hour drive back into the city and all Eugene wants to do is pass out in the backseat and take the longest hottest shower of his whole life the second he gets home. Unfortunately he's got first shift, which means about another two and half hours of driving to go before he can switch with someone.

 

Keith, who’d called shotgun, wakes up about two hours into the drive home. The radio is playing something soft and it’s started to rain pretty heavily. He blinks at the mirror and stares back at the other two Try Guys who are still asleep like the dead.

He snorts and thinks about taking a photo of the pair before realizing the cams in the car have probably already captured hours of the two passed out and snoring.

Eugene is at the wheel, focusing on traversing the watery roads. Keith doesn’t think the guy’s even noticed that he’s up yet. He stares at the him in silence for a few minutes.

Eugene’s shoulders are tense and he’s hunched awkwardly over the steering wheel, both hands firmly gripping the thing as though a cop were to pull him over any moment now.

“Hey,” Keith sits up more.

“Mm.” is all the response he receives from the hyper focused driver.

“Pull over. Let me drive.”

That gets Eugene's attention. He looks at the time on the dashboard. “Uh, I've still got an hour left on my turn. I'm good.”

“I know. Not what I said though.” Keith returns, not unkindly. “You carried Zach on your back for most of the day, while _hiking,_  dude, I can't even imagine how exhausted you must be. C'mon, pull over.”

Tired as he is, Eugene can't--or rather doesn’t want to--find an argument not to pull over. The neon yellow pillow around Keith's neck is starting to look more tempting than silly at this point. “Yeah, fine.” He pulls to the side of the rode after putting the hazards on and climbs out of the car to switch seats.

Eugene let's out a pained groan when his back hits the passenger side seat. Being hunched over the steering wheel for the last couple of hours certainly didn't do his already aching back any favors.

“You ok?” Keith asks, concerned when it takes his friend a second too long to reply.

“Yeah no, I'm good. Just sore.” Eugene reaches with one hand to press at the spot that aches the most but he clearly can't reach.

“Turn around.”

“Huh?”

Keith makes a spinning motion with his finger. “I have magic fingers, and shaddup, not like _that_ , so just turn around. It's only gonna get worse if you ignore it, ya’ know.”

Eugene makes a face but complies, which says a lot about how much pain he must actually be in because the guy very rarely lets his guard down enough to make himself vulnerable around people. Not even around the Try Guys.

Keith asks him to say where the pain is radiating the worst and starts there, applying pressure with his thumbs, pleased when Eugene relaxes into the touch, sighing out his relief.

This goes on for maybe ten or fifteen minutes before Eugene’s head thumps against the headrest and he’s snoring softly into the cushion. Keith gently maneuvers him so that he can put the seat belt around the shorter man and buckle him in. 

"Sleep tight." He drives the rest of the way home as smoothly as he possible and when the other two passengers in the backseat start to rustle awake he shushes them, pointing his thumb at Eugene's sleeping form. 

Zach coos at the sight while Ned photographs him for future blackmail purposes, though they both do it as quietly as humanly possible. 


	2. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

It’s a vlog week and since it’s Ned’s turn to come up with something, that means mostly editing work for Eugene at his desk--unless Ned decides to include the Try Guys like he did that time he and Keith got roped into being props for the soccer challenge.

He’d thought for sure that day he’d end up bruised from Ned’s failed attempts to score.

The truth is Eugene would love to call out of work today. He feels a little under the weather and it’s not like he can’t edit the last Try Guys video at home in the comfort of his own bed from his laptop.

He contemplates it for all of five minutes before deciding he’d rather save the sick day for something more pressing than just not feeling a hundred percent.

 

By the time he gets to work, half his coffee gone, he finds his cubicle area empty, though he knows at least Zack is around somewhere because his favorite sweater is draped over his computer chair and his bag is sitting underneath his desk, tossed half-haphazardly.

Eugene shrugs off his jacket and powers up his computer, yawning into the crook of his elbow. It takes him a few seconds more than he’s proud to admit to realize his mouse isn’t moving on the screen in front of him. “What the hell.” he turns the mouse over to see if maybe it needs a new pair of batteries, only to be met with none other than a photocopy of Ned’s obnoxious face staring back at him.

“Got em!” Ned jumps out from behind the desk in front of Eugene with his phones camera pointed at him, clearly recording.

Eugene is less than amused, the mild headache from earlier in the morning when he’d first woken up bumping up to an annoying throb.

“Why.” normally he wouldn’t mind so much, these prank vlogs Ned enjoys doing--in fact most of the time the alpha male in him tries to one up the other Try Guy--but today all he wants is to work a normal, quiet, boring desk job in relative peace.

Ned turns the camera back to himself, grinning from ear to ear, “And that’s the tamest prank Eugene will be on the receiving end of today!” he tells their audience.

Keith waves at the camera on his way to his desk, laughing at the look on Eugene’s face. “Did Ned tell you the theme of his vlog this week?”

Eugene gulps down the rest of his coffee and leans back in his chair. “Is it in the realm of inconveniencing everyone at the office while they work?”

“Close!” Zach appears almost out of nowhere, a cup of tea in hand. “Ned actually got the idea off a fansite online. They wanted to see Ned go full prank mode on you, Gene.”

He groans, “Why me?” Keith reaches over to mess with the shorter man’s floofy hair playfully, and chuckles.

“Because Ned getting one over on you always gives you the best expressions. I mean, that’s why I didn’t veto the idea when Ned mentioned it.”

“Here here!” Zach cheers, bringing his cup to his lips. “I’m just glad it’s not me.”

Eugene sighs, resigning himself to a day of torture. “Fine.” he gets up and before he can go anywhere the three men start clamoring that he can’t ditch work to avoid getting pranked. “Relax, I just need to change into something less...expensive, before Ned decides to douse me with paint or some crap.” he assures, headed to the locker area, where he keeps a couple of sets of old worn jeans and band tees he doesn’t mind getting dirty. He changes his shoes last minute too, into the off-brand converse also kept in his locker, leaving his nice shoes in there instead.

 

“Oooh, I didn’t know it was casual Friday.” Quinta whistles at him when he enters the kitchen in desperate search of more coffee to get him through the rest of the day.

Eugene sighs, “Ned’s doing a prank vlog--exclusively featuring me for some reason, figured I’d dress the part in case he tries anything that’ll make me regret wearing cashmere this morning.”

The small woman scoffs. “Don’t tell me you’re not gonna’ try to get back at him? Half the fun of those prank vids are you and Ned trying to dominate the other--oooh, wait, that sounded kinkier than I meant it to.” she laughs.

He shrugs hardheartedly as he cradles the warm mug in his hands. “Maybe later in the week. I’ve got so much editing to do if we wanna’ get the latest Try Guy video out by tomorrow.”

The coffee doesn’t really help with the headache like he thought the caffeine would, so by the time he gets back to his desk he’s more irritable than he’d like.

He’s just barely sat down when the cacophony of what can only be an air horn jars him off his chair and onto the floor.

Ned comes running out from out of nowhere cackling. “Duce, duce! Got him twice now and it’s not even ten AM yet!”

Eugene glares daggers at the offending air horn taped to the bottom of his computer chair and resists the urge to throw it at the blondes’ head after he’s removed the damn thing. “I hate you.”

“Lies!” Ned calls behind him, as he runs off, probably to think up his next ridiculous prank.

Zach covers the giant grin on his face with his hand. “I’m sorry, but like, did you see your face? Oh man, and the way you jumped outta’ your seat like that?” he can’t stop the giggling and decides to run after Ned when he sees Eugene’s glower change towards his direction.

Keith, though also laughing, comes to the brunette's aid, helping him up off the floor.

 

After a couple of hours of blissful, uninterrupted editing, while occasionally stopping to work on a few side projects also due this week, he’s finally about three quarters of the way done with the Try Guys video Buzz-feed will be posting the next day.

The headache hasn’t gone away, and after the whole air horn incident earlier he doesn’t think it will any time soon. But for the time being it isn’t so awful that he can’t try ignoring it.

Kelsey swings by his desk and asks him to model a couple of things for the shoot she’s got going on downstairs. “It’ll literally take like a half hour! C’mon Eugene, I need your cute buns out there!” she pleads, when he hesitates for a moment.

He groans and bitches a little but ultimately gives in. After all he’s practically finished with editing, he can afford to help a friend.

 

Eugene forgot about the absurd amount of lights and flash that are involved in a shoot, and by the third costume (something ridiculously lacy and a little too see-through for even his tastes) the headache he’s been nursing all day long has turned into a full blown out migraine.

He tries to ignore the throbbing but by the fifth costume he’s ready to call it a day and go home. Maybe Zach can finish editing the rest of the video, there’s not too much left to do. He feels bad asking someone else to do his work for him but it’s gotten so bad at this point that his vision’s started to go blurry at the edges.

He’s about to tell Kelsey as much when something drops from the ceiling above him and lands less than a foot away from his face, and suddenly there are about about fifty of them dropping down, popping like firecrackers and making the most horrifically loud cacophony possible.

That and the flashing from the numerous photos taken of Eugene’s reaction and the combination of screaming and laughter of everyone in the studio, including Ned’s nefarious giggling as he runs up cheering and yelling “GOT ‘EM!!” are Eugene’s undoing.

It all happens too fast.

He’s crouched on the floor, hands over his ears, eyes shut tight, nose dripping blood at a rapid and alarming pace before he knows what’s even happening.

And just as suddenly as it began everything ceases. No more noise. No more flash. Nothing but the whispered concern of his friends surrounding him at all sides.

Someone dims the lights and then there’s a wad of tissues up against his nose. “Shh, shh, you’re gonna’ be ok.” that’s Kelsey's voice, and her long manicured nails combing softly through the fluffy tufts of his hair.

Eugene can’t help but wonder who on Earth she’s shushing, until it dawns on him that that weird whimpering is coming out of his mouth. God, this is embarrassing. The last time he can remember having cried in a public setting he was probably like six or seven.

“It’s not stopping.” that’s Zach, and he sounds like he’s two seconds away from an anxiety attack. “ _Why_ isn’t it stopping, should we go to a hospital? That is _way_ too much blood!” 

The frantic rambling, despite the immense migraine, shakes Eugene out of his pain-induced stupor for a moment enough to scramble blindly for Zach's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. "M'fine." he murmurs, trying not to get any blood in his mouth. It really is a lot of blood. He's starting to feel light headed. 

Zach clenches the hand on his shoulder like a lifeline. "Shut up, you are so not fine, oh my God." 

Keith grimaces. "Where's the on staff paramedic? Did anyone call her yet?" he discards the soaked tissues and replaces it with a clean cloth. It gets drenched in blood almost immediately. 

"Right here." the paramedic tells everyone to make way and kneels down in front of Eugene; she takes the napkin away and the blood practically gushes out. She frowns. "Hey Eugene, how you feeling? Any nausea, dizziness?" 

Eugene nods slowly. "Head hurts, too." he admits.

"Does it taste like blood?" 

He nods again, gulping hard. It's gross. 

The paramedic shakes her head. "Alright, I was going to suggests waiting a few minutes to see if the nosebleed stopped on it's own but the symptoms don't sound like something I can treat here. I'm going to call an ambulance." 

Eugene disagrees. "I'll be fine, I just need a minute." he says, despite feeling like he's about to pass out any minute. 

Of course, no one listens to him, and within minutes he's being practically airlifted to the nearest hospital, Zach insisting he be the one to ride in the ambulance with him. Eugene lets him hold his hand the whole way there. 

 

 

Eugene must have fainted at some point because when he wakes up there's an IV taped to his arm and his migraine's been downgraded to a faint throb. 

He's wearing a hospital gown. The front of it is covered in a fair amount of dried blood. "Ew." his voice comes out hoarse. 

"Oh thank God." Ned all but jumps up from his seat in the corner and rushes to the side of his bed. "Eugene, Jesus, I--I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. We joke around and everything but I would never ever do anything to--but I did, and I am so sorry, I can't believe I landed you in the hospital, that was so stupid and childish and I totally understand if you hate me forever and--"

"Ned," Eugene raises a hand to stop the rambling. "You had no idea that would happen. I felt like shit all day, I should've just stayed at home. We're cool." 

Ned shakes his head. "We are not cool man. I am going to make this up to you. I promise. I'm really sorry." 

Eugene's a little stunned by the amount of sincerity in his friends words. "Uh, ok, name your first born after me and we're good." he jokes, in an attempt to disperse the serious air in the room. 

"Done!" Ned agrees instantly, face determined. 

Eugene starts laughing loud enough that it startles Zach and Keith--who until then were sleeping beside each other on the little couch in his room--awake. "I'm kidding! Please don't do that, Ariel might actually come for me in my sleep." he's laughing so hard he nearly dislodges the IV in his arm. 

Before he knows it, he's being engulfed in a warm and gentle hug. "Oh my god, oh my god, you're awake, oh my god!" Zach sighs in relief. "You went completely limp in the ambulance and your eyes rolled all the way to the back of your head and--" Zach hiccups, a clear sign that he's near tears. "I was so scared!" 

Eugene returns the hug, cheeks lighting up a bright pink. Being vulnerable in front of your closest friends is super embarrassing. 

Keith, who's been standing behind Zach, bouncing up and down by the heels of his feet finally can't hold himself back anymore and also joins in the hug, his face rubbing up against Eugene's. "So glad you're okay!" 

Despite himself, Eugene smiles and then peeking his head over the two Try Guys, he motions for Ned to jump in. "It's the only way I'll forgive you." he says, when it looks like Ned might not join them out of guilt. 

Ned still looks like he wants to name his first born after Eugene to win back his forgiveness but does eventually join the group hug, being very careful of the tubes running along the bedside.

 

"You lost a lot of blood, so no running in the morning. I'll make you breakfast and bring it to your bed so--" 

"Ooh, breakfast in bed?" Eugene wiggles his eyebrows, which would normally seduce anyone within a hundred mile radius, but curled in bed wearing Keith's over-sized sweatshirt, while wrapped in several fluffy blankets, the effect is lost on Zach, who carries on as though he never heard him in the first place. 

"Oh and Ned's gonna bring Bowie over so I can walk him along with Emma and Pesto tomorrow, that way you don't have any excuse to get out of bed." 

"What if I have to pee?" 

Zach rolls his eyes. "I'll help you to the bathroom." 

Eugene blinks. "You know I can walk on my own right? I only let Ned piggy back ride my butt from the car to the house to get rid of that dumb kicked puppy look on his face." 

Zach sighs and shuffles his feet. "I know, I just, I don't know, I just need you to like, stay cocooned in that mound of blankets for the next 24 hours so I know you're gonna' be one hundred percent okay--and also I already text your mom that I'm watching you tonight and tomorrow and making sure you don't exert yourself. Also she's coming over for dinner tomorrow. I was thinking maybe order in from that Italian place you like, the one--" 

Eugene kind of wants to kiss Zach, but instead he rolls over and covers his face with a pillow. "Okay, okay! I'm going to sleep!" he can feel his ears burning. 


	3. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Eugene is very drunk. 

So so very drunk right now. Honestly, he can’t even remember what this vlog post was supposed to be about. He just knows that the room is spinning and spinning and spinning and his friend Kelsey is trying to get him to down another shot. 

“Nope, no more.” Zach intervenes. “I think we got all the film and more for this week’s vlog without you two succumbing to alcohol poisoning, don’tcha’ think?” 

Kelsey cheers. “Yay, we did it! All fifty states Eugene!” she’s slurring her words and nearly topples off the stool she’s precariously seated on. 

Eugene grins like a dope. “Oh yeah, that’s what we were doing.” He’s surprised he forgot since the idea was his, after all. Try all fifty states’ famous alcoholic beverages. He’d tried to keep it civil, small sips only, but Kelsey was a very persuasive drinking partner, and sips had turned to gulps had turned to straight up shots and eventual chugging. 

And now he’s more intoxicated than he thinks he’s ever been in his entire life. 

Normally, even when drunk, Eugene likes to think he’s pretty in control of himself. 

But right now he doesn’t think he can stand straight, much less walk out of this bar without busting his ass in front of everyone. 

Ned outright laughs when Kelsey finally does fall out of her chair, though he does rush over to help the blonde back up. “Okay, time to go home and hydrate, kids.” he announces to the room at large, in his most no-nonsense voice. 

Kelsey whines. “But daaaad!” and then she starts to giggle as she’s lead out of the bar, or rather carried out by Ned, who lets her jump on his back and yell “Go horsey, go!” 

Ned mock-glares at Eugene on his way out and says, “You did this!” as he exits, presumably to tuck Kelsey into the backseat of his car so he can drive her home and make sure she doesn’t start drunk dialing people. 

Ned is joking of course, he thinks the footage they captured is hilarious, and after some editing at the office tomorrow he thinks the fans will really enjoy it, too. But of course Eugene is very drunk and his anxiety makes it near impossible to tell the difference. 

“Ok, time for you to go home, too, Yang.” Zach tries to impersonate Ned’s ‘dad’ voice but it falls flat. 

Eugene’s attempt to get up is like watching a newborn calf try to stand on shaky legs for the first time. Zach tries very hard not to laugh but it doesn’t work. 

“Oh my god, c’mere.” Zach, with Keith’s help, manages to drag the intoxicated man to his car and buckles him into the front passenger seat safely. 

Keith makes cooing noises at Eugene for a little bit before he waves goodbye to the pair. 

“Okay, quick pit stop at the Walgreen near your place for some hangover remedies and then straight home, buddy.” Zach announces, as he starts the car and puts it in reverse. 

“I want a thing of gummi worms, like, a big ass bag of gummi worms.” 

Zach guffaws. “Okay, bag of gummi worms you will undoubtedly barf up tomorrow morning, check.” 

“And chips. The onion ones.” Eugene continues. 

“Sure, whatever you want.” Zach agrees. 

“Mmm, want you.” Eugene half-murmurs right before clonking out in the car for the rest of the ride. 

Zach blinks. “Want me to what?” he shakes his head. “Weirdo.” 

  
  


By the time Eugene returns to the land of the living Zach’s already parked and is holding a plastic bag of goods in one hand and opening his door so Eugene can exit the car. 

“Oh good, you’re up. Thought I was gonna’ hafta’ drag you inside by your legs.”

“Mmm,” Eugene clumsily climbs out of the car and tries his best not to trip over his own two feet before they make it to the front door. “Can we make nachos?” 

“Nope.” Zach reaches into Eugene’s pocket and Eugene starts wiggling his eyebrows. 

“Zach, you gotta’ take me on a first date first, thank you v’ry much.” 

Zach scoffs as he pulls out Eugene’s keys and opens his door. “Let’s get you inside Romeo.” 

The second Eugene jumps up on his kitchen counter the world starts spinning again and he has to hold onto the edges of the counter to keep himself aloft. “Is everyone mad at me?” 

Zach’s taken by surprise, though he should’ve known this was coming. Drunk Eugene is normally overly-confident Eugene. But he’s definitely had way more to drink than usual, and that leads to the rarely spotted openly insecure Eugene. 

“What? No? Why would anyone be mad at you?” 

“Got too drunk, and then, then I got Kelsey too drunk, and Ned was upset, and this vlog, it was a dumb idea, and now I’m--I’m so drunk and everyone’s mad and--” 

“Whoa, hey, no, no one is mad, okay? I promise, no one’s mad at you. And hey, listen, the vlog idea? That was an awesome idea, you guys were great and the fans are gonna’ love it. Just maybe next time stick to tiny sips?” 

Eugene nods. “You’re sure?” 

“Yes, absolutely, one hundred percent. You did good. Now, here,” Zach hands him a glass of water. “Drink some of this.” 

Eugene shakes his head. “I wanted gummi worms.” 

Zach sighs and takes a bag of gummi worms out of the plastic bag and hands it to the drunk man-child. 

“You ‘membered.” Eugene grins, all former insecurities flying out of the window at the sight of his candy. 

However, in his quest to eat the gummi worms Eugene uses his teeth to open the bag and they end up all over the floor of his kitchen. “Oh no, my worms.” 

Zach feels bad, but mainly because he wants to laugh at the look of utter devastation on his friend’s face. “Oh Eugene,” he pats him on the shoulder solemnly. “I’m sorry for your loss.” 

Eugene nods sadly. “My worms, Zach.” he keeps pointing at them like it’s going to reverse time and magically get those gummi worms back into the now empty bag in his hand. 

“If you drink this whole cup of water and get into bed I’ll go back to the store and get you another bag.” 

“I’m not sleepy.” he complains, though he does obediently drink the water. Everything is still spinning and he is a little tired, but it’s still too early in the day. He thinks. Honestly he doesn’t actually know what time it is, just that he’s dizzy and this counter probably wasn’t the best place to hop on to, because the moment he looks down it feels like he’s miles up from the floor. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Zach just barely catches Eugene before he hits the ground. 

Eugene wraps his arms around the smaller man and rests his chin against his shoulder. “‘Kay, m’ready for bed.” 

“I am so sad we’re not filming this right now.” Zach gripes, half-carrying Eugene to his bedroom. “This might be the drunkest I’ve ever seen you. You’re adorable.” 

“M’not drunk,” Eugene denies, “You’re drunk.” 

Zach practically throws him onto the bed and only feels a little bad over the muffled “ouch” from Eugene. “Drama queen.” 

He adjusts him so that his legs aren’t hanging off the side of the bed and gets a pillow under his head, and then wraps a blanket over the rest of Eugene. “Okay, I’m gonna’ leave this gatorade here on your nightstand, um, let’s see, I already fed the dogs so I’m gonna’ walk them in a little and then I’ll be outta’ your hair. Oh, I’ll leave you a bottle of water and a couple advil, too.” Zach realizes towards the very end of his sentence that Eugene’s already asleep. 

He likes seeing Eugene’s face when he’s in a slumber. Not in a creepy way, he thinks to himself. The man just looks so relaxed when he sleeps. His walls are all the way down, vulnerable in a soft way he rarely lets himself be. It’s nice. 

“Goodnight.” 

 

Eugene wakes with a groan the next morning. It takes him a good fifteen minutes to sit up and another five minutes to see the water and pills at his side. “Oh thank God.” he downs those immediately and is in the middle of thanking the universe for Zach Kornfeld when he notices the bag of gummi worms behind the bottle of Gatorade. 

Eugene can’t help the giant smile that breaks out across his face. 


End file.
